Sunday, October 4, 2009

Did Jesus write?

In Ben Franklin's Autobiography, he tells his readers that if they would like to be humble to see Socrates or Jesus as examples. The irony of his statement, probably not lost to Franklin, is that neither of those gentlemen wrote a word of their own story.

Jesus almost certainly knew how to write as many stories have him interpreting the scriptures. In another story he makes marks or writes in the dirt in front of him. If Jesus knew how to write, why didn't Jesus write down his own story rather than let others write it down for him.

Perhaps Jesus didn't see the point of his ministry to be canonized instruction. Or perhaps Jesus was afraid that writing down his own story might lend too much authority to the words and close the door to interpretation.

Or maybe Jesus knew what Franklin knew, humility demands that you not write down your own story.

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